Removable frozen food shelf for self contained normal temperature open display cases



S. BURG REMOVABLE FROZEN FOOD SHELF FOR SELF CONTAINED Nov. 26, 1957 2,8l4,185

NORMAL TEMPERATURE OPEN DISPLAY CASES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10. 1955 INVENTORf .SAUL BU RG 'f W AIJURNEY Nov. 26, 1957 s. BURGJ P. 2,814,185

REMOVABLE FROZEN FOOD SHELF FOR SELF CONTAINED NORMAL TEMPERATURE OPEN DISPLAY CASES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10. 1955 INVENTOR. BY SAUL BU R6 fl f/ ATTORNEY Fin 3 nited States atent 2,814,185 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 REMOVABLE FROZEN FOOD SHELF FOR SELF CONTAINED NORMAL TEMPERATURE OPEN DISPLAY CASES This invention relates to refrigerated food display cases and more particularly to combination with such case of a removable self contained food freezer display shelf.

It is the object of the present invention to incorporate within a refrigerated display case having an overhang structure and an upwardly and forwardly inclined rear mirror, a removable self contained food freezer display shelf adapted for positioning within said case and with its front and rear wall inclined at the same angle as said mirror for cooperating engagement therewith.

It is the further object of the present invention to incorporate with said display freezer a series of telescoping legs for adjustably positioning the said shelf vertically within said case so as not to obstruct the bottom wall thereof and so as not to deprive the said case of any of its display space.

It is the further object of the present invention to incorporate within a self contained refrigerating food display case a portable and removable self contained food freezer specially designed for the display in frozen condition of visual pre-packaged foods, such as meat.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a portable and removable self contained food freezer display shelf which may be used in conjunction with an open self contained food display case and which thus adds selling area without taking away from the existing storage space of the case and without obstructing the view of articles stored in the said case.

It is the further object of the present invention to incorporate in the said portable self contained food freezer display shelf its own compressor condenser unit and suitable refrigerant conducting coils.

These and other objects will be seen from the follow ing specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the present open shelf self contained refrigerating food display case with a removable self contained food freezer display shelf mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of the said display shelf; and

Fig. 3 is a right end elevational view of the shelf shown in Fig. 1, also illustrating the bottom wall of the case and its rear angular mirror, but with protective housing over the compressor mounting removed for clarity.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely a single preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 there is fragmentarily shown a substantially conventional open self contained refrigerating food display case having insulated walls and which include the upright hollow end walls 11, front wall 12, which terminates in the upwardly and rearwardly extending panel 13 defining along its longitudinal edge the sill 14.

Mounted upon said sill and interposed between respective end walls 11, one of which is shown in Fig. l,

there is provided an upwardly and rearwardly inclined glass 15 which terminates at its upper edge in the protective moulding 16 between the said end walls 11.

Said case has a bottom wall 19 and a rear wall 18, which walls in cooperation with the interiors of said end walls define the open display area 17 within which packaged foods may be displayed.

It is contemplated that the above described self contained display case has a standard type of refrigerating apparatus for maintaining the interior space 19 cold, but above the freezing point of water.

The said display case also includes a conventional type of super structure defined by the upright hollow wall insulated extensions 20, and the top overhang wall 21, which is fragmentarily shown. Within the said superstructure below said overhang there is provided an upwardly and forwardly extending angular continuous mirror 22, which is arranged at a predetermined acute angle with respect to the bottom wall 19 so as to provide additional visual display of refrigerated articles within the bottom of display space 17. A suitable ornamental metallic trim 23 extends over the forward portions of the said end walls 11 and upon the interior and under surface of the superstructure.

Within the above described self contained display case and in combination therewith there is provided a self contained removable food freezer display shelf generally indicated at 24 and which has at one end thereof an expanded metal housing or grill 25 within which is enclosed an independent compressor mounting and assembly for a refrigerating system, hereafter described, in conjunction with Figs. 2 and 3.

Depending from adjacent the respective corners of display shelf 24 are a plurality of telescoping tubular legs which include the upper portions 26 which are suitably secured to the under surface of the said shelf, and may be threaded thereinto as at points 7, Fig. 2, and which include at their lower ends telescoping tubular elements 26, which may be secured in the desired position of vertical adjustment as by the set screws 10. Leg elements 26' terminate in the cushioned feet or pads 45 for cooperative engagement with the floor 19 of the display case, as shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 2, the display shelf 24 is shown on an enlarged scale and includes the outer upwardly and forwardly inclined walls 27 and 28 which are in parallel relation and which extend upwardly at an acute angle to the bottom wall 29. Rear wall 27 extends upwardly at the same angle as does the mirror 22 of the display case and is adapted for cooperative snug engaging relation with the front surface of the mirror in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3. For this purpose and to protect the said mirror, there are provided upon the rear surface of wall 27 a series of spaced rubber cushions 9.

The said display shelf also includes the upright outer end walls 30 and 30'. Mounted upon the upper edges of the inclined front and rear walls and the parallel upright end walls is a top wall construction which is arranged at substantially right angles to the said front and rear angular walls.

The said top wall construction includes the hollow rectangularly shaped wall portion which is of inverted U-shape in cross section and which is nested down into the upper open end of the said shelf with its outer flange secured to the said outer walls of the shelf as by the fasteners 8 or by any other convenient means, such as welding. It is contemplated, however, that the said top wall portion which is inclined at an acute angle to the ground surface maybe bent over and formed as an integral part of the said side and end wall portions of the shelf.

The shelf 24 includes the hollow metallic liner 30",

which is preferably of galvanized iron or other suitable material and whose walls are arranged in parallel spaced relation and inwardly of the said above described outer walls of the shelf. For example, the front and rear walls of the said liner 42 and 47 are parallel to each other, but arranged at an acute angle to the bottom wall 48 which is parallel to bottom wall 29 of the outer shell of the shelf.

A suitable insulating medium 31 is interposed between said liner and said outer walls and in the preferred embodiment is made of a plastic substance such as stirafoam.

Mounted upon the exterior surfaces of the liner 30" there is provided a continuous refrigerant conducting coil or tube 32 which is suitably secured thereto as by welding at 33, Fig. 2.

The open display shelf 24 is a self contained freezer and has a conventional type of compressor 34 which is suitably secured as by brackets 35. to end wall 30 of said shelf and is normally enclosed. by the expanded metal housing 25 secured to said end wall as by the brackets 44, Fig. 3. The said. enclosing housing 25 is omitted from Fig. 3 for the purpose, of clarity.

A suitable and conventional static condenser 36 is mounted upon the under surface of shelf 24 and secured thereto by the elongated brackets 39 which are fastened as at 40 to the bottom wall 29 of said shelf. Intake conduit 38 shown in Fig. 2 supplies the compressed refrigerant gas to condenser 36. Outlet 37 directs the condensed refrigerant into and through the refrigerant conducting coils 32 to thereby complete the refrigerating cycle in a conventional manner.

The specific type of refrigerant mechanism shown herein does not form a part of the present invention except in the sense as it forms an element of the entire display unit which is self contained and has itsv own source of refrigeration.

Mounted upon the bottom wall 29 of shelf 24 adjacent its forward edge and longitudinally thereof, there is provided an elongated illuminating means such as the fluorescent lighting fixture 41. The purpose of this light is to illuminate the bottom wall 19 of the display case 11 and to prevent any shadow thereon by virtue of the positioning within said case of the freezer shelf 24. Accordingly, the said freezer shelf further carries out the objects of the present invention in-not utilizing display space which would otherwise be used, but on the other hand, provides additional display and selling areas; and in view of the leg construction 26-26 the said display shelf is elevated above the bottom wall 19 of the display case so as not to obstruct the view of articles therein.

Display; shelf 24' has an open display area or; chamber generally indicated at 43, Fig. 1 and; which is rendered visually accessible by the forward and downward inclination of the top wall of the said display shelf to thereby make accessible to prospective purchasers visual pre- 4 packaged food products, such as frozen meat.

It is contemplated that various types of food products may be displayed within the area 17 upon the bottom wall 19, such as refrigerated meats, and it is contemplated that these meatsbe kept above the'freezing point of water.

The one additional advantage of the present display shelf is that it provides an open-faced freezer display area wherein visual prepackaged frozen meats may be stored for easy access.

Across the front surface of the front wall 28'of shelf 24 there is provided a tag moulding 46 of a conventional nature and upon which identification tags or other material may be removably positioned.

The above described top wall, element 29' as shown in Fig. 2, includes the forwardly arranged inner flanged portion which overlies, the upper marginal edge of the inner liner 30" and is suitably sucured thereto as by. welding or equivalent means, to thereby provide a unitary structure.

Shelf 24 is elevated sufiiciently above the bottom wall of the display case so that any heat given ofi by condenser 36 will not functionally affect the refrigerating character of the display case.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1. An open self containing refrigerating food display case, insulated walls defining said case, an interior bottom wall, an overhang super structure extending above said bottom wall, an elongated mirror mounted at the rear of said super structure on its interior extending angularly upward and forwardly, and a hollow removable self contained food freezer display shelf within said case including a series of insulated walls defining said shelf, its front and rear walls being parallel to and inclined at the same angle as said mirror, with its rear wall snugly and cooperatively bearing against said mirror, and its bottom wall horizontal and parallel to the bottom Wall of said case, legs depending from adjacent the corners of said shelf supported upon the bottom wall of said case, maintaining said shelf in non-obstructing spaced relation to said bottom wall, said shelf being open at its top with the wall defining said top extending substantially at right angles to its front and rear walls, said front wall being appreciably less in height than said rear wall.

2. The combination of an open self contained refrigerated food display case, and a removable self contained freezer display shelf, as set forth in claim 1, said shelf including an inner metallic liner, a series of continuous refrigerant conducting coils mounted and secured upon the exterior of said liner, and a compressor-condenser refrigerator apparatus mounted and housed upon said shelf in communication with said coils.

3. The combination of an open self contained refrigerated food display case, and a removable self contained freezer display shelf, as set forth in claim 1, and an elongated source of illumination mounted upon and depending from the under surface of said shelf for illuminating the bottom wall of said display case below said shelf.

4. The combination of an open self contained refrigerated food display case, and a removable self contained freezer display shelf, as set forth in claim 1, the front and rear Walls of said shelf extending at an acute angle to the bottom wall of said case, and the top wall of said shelf being acute angularly inclined to said bottom wall to facilitate visual inspection of the interior of said shelf.

5. The combination of an open self contained, refrigerated food display case, and a removable, self contained freezer display shelf, as set forth in claim 1, said legs consisting of adjustable telescoping tubular elements for regulating the vertical height of said shelf within said case.

6. The combination of an open self contained refrigerated food display case, and a removable self contained freezer display shelf, as set forth in claim 1, a series of spaced rubber bumpers on the rear outer Wall of said shelf cooperatively engaging said mirror, and rubber feet on the bottoms of said legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 994,598 Martin June 6, 1911 2,093,728 King Sept. 21, 1937 2,266,259 Perham Dec. 16, 1941 2,442,515 Shreve June 1, 1948 2,515,285 Achs July 18, 1950 2,560,309 Stebbins July 10, 1951 

